12.15pm GMT

Complaints against police rise by 10%

Almost a quarter of the complaints against police in the past year concerned neglect or failure of duty, an independent watchdog said today.

The overall number of complaints rose by 10% on the previous year, but only one in 10 of the complaints investigated by the IPCC were upheld.

Complaints about neglect or failure of duty were the most common made against police officers in England and Wales, accounting for 24% of the 45,883 allegations made in 2006-2007, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

There was also a bigger increase in these allegations than any other type, with a rise of 1,745 on the previous year.

Just over one-fifth of the allegations against the police were about incivility, impoliteness or intolerance, while 15% concerned assault, an IPPC report said.

There were 28,998 complaints recorded last year, and each complaint may cover more than one allegation. The number of complaints against police officers has almost doubled since the IPCC was set up three years ago when there were 15,900.

"This is the third year that the total number of complaints recorded against the police has risen," Nick Hardwick, the watchdog's chairman, said. "Forces and police authorities need to address the various categories of complaints more effectively.

"What are sometimes perceived as relatively minor matters, such as incivility and neglect of duty, account for almost half of all allegations against police personnel."

He said the complaints concerned "such things as rudeness, not keeping someone informed about a case as promised, and failing to investigate someone's crime properly".

The highest rises in the number of complaints came in Bedfordshire (up 40%), Gwent (36%) and Sussex (29%). Complaints against the Metropolitan police rose by 15% to 5,500.

Ten forces reported drops in the number of complaints, with the largest declines in Surrey - down 28% - and Norfolk, which saw complaints drop by 19%.

Jan Berry, the chairwoman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said it was significant that only 10% of complaints had been upheld.

"When you consider there are 140,000 police officers in England and Wales, and that a primary function of our role will place us in conflict with individuals, then 1,376 substantiated complaints in a year is a low figure," she added.